Thursday at Wellbrooke of Wabash, Dukes Hospital CEO Debra Close gave the public some details about what the complex will serve as, as well as a possibly opening in May.

The complex is Lutheran Health-affiliated, and will house a fully equipped RediMed walk-in clinic. Lutheran medical offices will also be housed in the complex. Full-service MRI and CT scan will be available, Close said.

The RediMed will be open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.

Wabash's Noah Cressel finished runner up in the 182-pound weight class at semi-state to advance to state. Photo by Eric Christiansen

By Eric Christiansen
echristiansen@nmpaper.com

Wabash wrestler Noah Cressell finished second in the 182-pound weight class at the New Haven Semi-State to gain a berth at the state meet this weekend, while Manchester's Delton Moore will join Cressell in Indianapolis as he ended the day with a third-place spot in the 170-pound weight class.

Cressell heads to the state championships with a 40-1 record, while Moore is now 32-6.

PLYMOUTH – The accolades and pats on the back continue to pile up for coach Aaron Butcher and his Ancilla College men’s basketball program.

But, through it all, he’s continuing to remind his squad that although the present circumstances feel great, there’s still a lot to play for.

The latest headline came for the Chargers (22-1, 12-0 Michigan Community College Athletic Association) on Tuesday, Feb. 6, when they rose to the No. 1 ranking in the National Junior Collegiate Athletic Association Division II poll after three weeks in the No. 2 spot. Losses by previous No. 1 Cuyahoga Community College and No. 3 Parkland Community College helped Ancilla ascend to the top spot.

On April 24, Wabash County’s top students gathered at the Honeywell Center for a special luncheon with the county’s business leaders. The Wabash County Chamber of Commerce, the North Manchester Chamber of Commerce, and Manchester University sponsored the event. The purpose of the event was “to honor top graduating seniors from the county high schools, and to have an opportunity to encourage local talent to return to their home for employment opportunities during the summers or after graduation from their college experience,” according the a press release from the chamber.

The large number of honors students was matched by a heavy community presence. Many students were able to sit with business professionals working in their areas of interest, as well as fellow students with similar college and career goals.

Serving as a sort of Master of Ceremonies for the luncheon, Manchester University Associate Vice President of Finance and Director of Operations Chris Garber welcomed those in attendance and introduced Wabash County Chamber of Commerce President Kim Pinkerton, who delivered the invocation.

While sharing college plans and networking with local education and business representatives, students enjoyed a light lunch consisting of a ham sandwich, pickle, and potato chips, finished with a cookie. Businesspeople had the opportunity to talk with students about current and future opportunities in the Wabash County business landscape. Students also had an opportunity to share their plans for college and beyond with the group. As usual, these ranged from detailed undergraduate, post-graduate, and career plans to those students who had no idea what the were doing after graduation.

Following lunch, those in attendance enjoyed a keynote speech from Crossroads Bank Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Emily Boardman. A Northfield High School graduate, Boardman (then Emily Pilgrim) received bachelors and masters degrees in accounting from Manchester University. Boardman worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers in Indianapolis for five years before returning to Wabash and joining joined Crossroads Bank.

Boardman talked about growing up in Wabash, wanting to leave town after graduation, and working at the nation’s largest accounting firm. She talked about her personal growth during those years at PricewaterhouseCoopers, and about how ultimately, finding more balance in life and spending more time with her family was most important in the end, and something she is able to do in her current position. She also talked about how the things that we want in life change over the years, and about what things become more important as we age, urging students to thank those people in their life who support them.

In addition to gathering students together for community, networking, and inspiration, the luncheon was held to combat the state-wide problem of “brain drain.” This is where students move out of the county and state after earning a degree. The Chamber of Commerce hopes to encourage bright, educated Wabash-natives to return to Wabash County after college and begin their careers.

It appears these efforts have worked in the past. Data compiled by StateImpact Indiana concerning 2009 graduates shows that Wabash County has one of the highest retention rates in the state, with 71.1 percent of bachelors degree recipients remaining in the state a year after graduation. That number increases to 74.2% for masters and doctorate degree recipients. This compares to respective rates in Huntington County of 50.2 percent and 48.0 percent and rates in Miami County of 59.8 percent and 68.3 percent. Indiana’s retention rate for all types of degrees is around 60 percent.